Door-operating mechanism



Oct. 18 1927.

. 1,646,025 M. JOHNSEN ET AL DooR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed 0G12. 19,1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR s .fu'in I cfohns pradera-k C. Houin`Oct. 18, 1927.

M. JOHNSEN ETL DooR OPERATING MEcHANIsM Filed Oct. 19, 1925 3Sheet's-Sheet 2 f Y L L L {NvEN-rons cio/unser? and k C. HoLLn BY @QMATTORNEY l 646 025 Oct. 18, 1927. M. JOHNS'EN ET AL s s DOOR OPERATINGMECHANI SM Filed Oct` 19, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l-NVENTORS L Mzrncohnsen and @edel-gk C., inning D BY t ` MMTTORNEY Patented Oct. 18,1927.

UNITED STATES MARTIN JOHNSEN AND FREDERICK G. HOLLING, 0F ANTIOCI'I,CALIFORNIA..

DOOR-OPERATING ltIECI-IANISM.

Application tiled October 19, 1925. Serial No. 63,283.

This invention relates to improvements in door operating mechanisms andparticu larly to a device for controlling the opening and closing ofdouble garage doors of the usual swing type.

The principal object of our invention is to provide a mechanism for thepurpose so constructed and arranged that as an auto mobile approachesthe garage it will automatically cause the doors to open, and when thecar moves into the garage it will. cause the doors to automaticallyclose. Then when the doors have been again caused to open by a simplemanual operation on the part of the driver of the car from his seat, thecar on backing out from thc garage to aJ point clear of the same willagain automatically cause the doors to be closed, ready for the nextopening movement upon the return of the car to the garage,

It will therefore be iilimec-essary for the driver to leave th-e car toeither open or close the doors from the outside so that he may remainunder cover at all times aV feature of considerable benefit and merit,especially in inclement weather.

These objects we accomplish by means of such structure and relative arangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings similar' characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Fig. l is fa top plan view foreshortened and of a. somewhat diagrammaticnature, of the entire operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of similar character showing theposition of the parts after the doors have been closedby a ear leavingthe garage.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the doors as opened after the passageof a front wheel of the car over the control mechanism, while movingtoward the garage.

Fig. i is a similar view showing the position of the control mechanismas moved by the passage of t-he rear wheel of the car while movingtoward the garage.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the garage only, showingthe interoir door closing mechanism as operated by the ear arrivinginside the garage.

Fig 6 is a sectional elevation of the com-l plete structure, showing the.exterior control mechanism as being actuated by the front wheel of thecar, to close the doers be depressed.

after thev car has moved out of the garage.

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary views of the exterior door opening controlmember in neutral and operative positions corresponding to the positionof the parts in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the exterior control structure with the topplates removed.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the numeral l denotes a casing of suitable dimensions sunk inthe runway 2 leading to the garage 3 a certain distance from thc latter.The casing is disposed in the path of the wheels on one side or other ofthe car inoving to or from the garage.

The top of the casing which is flush with the runway includes twolongitudinally spaced and vertically movable plates l and 5 with a fixedplate 6 therebetween of a length such that any wheel cannot rest ou bothplat-es 4L and 5 simultaneou-sly.

The rear plate Il is farthest from the garage and is pivoted at one endtransversely in the czsing, the other end being free to rI`he forwardplate 5 is nearcstthe garage and is similarly mounted in the casing.

Turnably mounted in the casing under the plate 5 is a shaft 7 on whichis fixed a pair of transversely spaced members 8 which are of circularform concentric with the shaft except for a fiat face A. The shaft is sodisposed relative to the plate 5 that when the circular portion of themembers 8 is uppermost the plate 5 rests thereon and is then horizontaland flush with the runway. lllhen the faces A are uppermost the platemay be depressed a certain dis tance.

One of the members 8 has four evenly spaced pins 9 projecting from oneside thereof concentric with the shaft. These pins are arranged in thepath oi a horizontal catch 10 mounted in common with a rod ll whichprojects rearwardly from said member .C3 under the plate 4 and below theplane of the shaft 7. A compression spring l2 associated with the rod l1tends to move said rod and catch forwardly. A flexible element 18 isattached to the rod ahead of the spring and extends thence rearwardly toand around a sheave la to a connection with the free end of the plate 4LA compression springY 15 of considerably strength,

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than the spring 12 is applied to said plete` and normally holds thelatter in a horizontal position and the catch l0 in its innern'ios-:tposition.

It will therefore be seen that Vwhen the plate l is depressed by a wheelof a car, the spring` l5 will be compressed, slackingl the element 13,and allowingl theV rod 1l and catch l0 to more to a forward position. insuch position the catch engao'es one oit the pins S). llllhen the weightis removed vfrom the plate, the spring,` l5 acts to restore said plateto its normal position and pulls the rod rearwardl)7 at the same time.This causes the member 8 to be rotated and the extent ot movement ot themember l] thus had is designed so as to be su'tlicient to just rotatesaid members 8 exactly one quarter turn. rlhis is `very important aswill be hereinafter seen.

yThe spring l5 is ot such strength as to resist being compressed, andcoi'isequen'tlf/ the plate depressed, by any tndinary weight such asthat ot a person. The members o are also so positioned that when the carmores outwardl)7 ot the lgarage past the casing, a'lter having causedthe closing ot the doors as hereinafter seen, the tlut laces ot said.members 8 will then be in a 'vertical position ahead ot the shatt T, asshown in Fig. 2. rllhis is also important.

Then a trout wheel F ot' a car moving;l toward the garage depresses andthen moves beyond the plate l as shown in Fig. tl. the members 8 will be'ot-ated one quarter turn Vtrom the position shown in Fig. 2 to thatshown in Fig. 3. This movement, effects the opening` of the doors 1G ol'the garage in the following' nianner:

Projecting inwardly Ytrom one ot the doors toward the adjacent side ot'the garage when said doors are closed is a rigid r. rm l? having ahorizontal hook 18 on its inner end. fr rigid link or connecting; rodl?) pivoted onto the other door and onto the arm l? in such a inannerthat the openingY and closing ot both doors will take placesii'miltaneously. The arm and rod are ot course adjacent the top ot thedoors so :is not to interfere with the pz age ot the car thereuiider.

Mounted in the garage in. horizontal alimment with the hook 18 anddisposed in a planelengthwise ot the garage is a rod 2O having` a catch2l on one end norinall)` engaging the hook lf3. (See Fig'. l.) It compression spring` on said rod normally holds the catch and hook inengagement.

it compression spring Q3 is applied to the arm l? and tends to cause thedoors to openA` but said spring;l cannot function as long; as the catch2l is engaged with the hook 18. A tiexible element is connected to therod 2O and extends thence downwardh7 and around suitable directionchnnging sheaves to ar point below the lnrel ot the top ot the casing'l. lliaid element then extends` l'iorizontally Vtoward the casino' andis fonnected to the ripper and substinitiali;` rer? tical arm ot abelltranlt in mounted in the casing ahead olf the ineniher T ti. lllheother and substantially litniicontal nrm ot' the bellcrank extendsalongside one ot said inembers S in the iA ath oit a single pin i??projecting theretroni (see llies. 'i' und tl). 'lhisy pin is sopositioned ou the member n as to be above and inimediatel)` adiaee itthe horizontal arm oit the lfiellcranli itl when the member 8 is in the.lirst position.` :is shown in Fig. 2. Thus when the member trl is rotated a quarter turn as preriotisly described. the pin depresses themember 26, causing the element Eet to be pulled. This in turn pulls thecatch rod 2t) rcarwardhv und mores the catch 2l clear ot the hook lo.This enables the springl 2 to tunction and the doorsl ttl areeonseuo-entllrY toreed open.

lilllien the member tl has thus nunle a quarter turn, the pin .fi'becomesv dii-ieiufgunjed il'rom the member il?, allo\\.'in;r the latterund ot course the rod, '.tl as wtll to rrlurn to their normal positions.lhe pin will not therefore :train engage the arm :itl until theniei'nber Si has .made :i toll rtwolution.

'.llhis door openingl is ell'etted by the pas sage ot the l'ront wheelot :in iin-onliner rar over the plate tlaid wheel morinoh over the plate5 will not' causo the depression olA the same, since the circularportion ol' the members o' then bear against the under tare ol saidplate.

lYhen the rear nherl lt ot' the inwnnint; trarpasses over the plateI-l-. it elletts :tuoi her one quarter rotation ot the inelnbrrify r1. tothe position shown in lling h but does notv cause the member iti lo blactuated. since 'thrpin Y has already pasted beyond the saine. as abovestated.

lieither will said leur wheel rauwe :i de plehsioi'l ot tlio pitite l.siilt'r lllt tlit'lllnl' portion ol the members ti are `still ruu'ziwtnlwith the plate ii. i

1When the rar has entered the .{uragfje :intl has :trrired itsinnermostposition. the` doorsl will be elo ed in the Following inouner:

Mounted in the lloor ot the nurture :tt the inner end thereof in thepath oi one ot the front wheels ot the ca f are plates Bri :and l hingedtogether. The Vtorwartl plate Etfis piroted at its torward rnd onto thetloor. while the renr end oit the r lar plate if) is tree and rests onthe lloor. tiaid rear plate is connected to a horizontal llexibleelement 30 wound about a small drum Ell which is mounted under the plateQt) below the tloor. It spriing` between the tloor and the plates tendsto maintain thesnme in a triangular position with their hinged edgesuppermost. as shown for instance in Fig.

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A reaitively large drum 33 is mounted in connectioi'i with the drinn 3land has a flexible element 34 wound thereon. This element extends tronithe drum over suitably disposed direction changing sheaves 35 to aconnection with the upper end of one of the doors near the hingethereof. This door is preferably that one to which the arm 17 isconnected. The elements 30 and 34 are so ivound on the respective drumsthat when the plates 28 and 29 are flattened out by the weight oi" aWheel thereon as shown in Fig. 5 the element 30 will be univound Yfromits` drinn 3mi, causing the rotation of the latter, While the element 34will be Wound onto its drum 33.

The drums are so proportioned in size relative to each other that acomparatively slight rearward movement of the rear plate 29 and element330 Will cause a circumferential movement ot the drum 33 and Will causethe doors to bepulled to a 'fully closed position against the pressureof the spring- 2S. lllhen the doors are thus closed the hooi-t i8 willautomatically engage the catch 2l, thus holding' the doors closed.

To then open the doors by hand to enable the ear to be backed vtrom thegarage, I provide a handle 3G infelieral'ilv lianainowhere it can begrasped by the driver of the car from his seat. lli 'leXible element 3l"conneeted to said handle extends thence over suitable directionchaiuringi' sheaves Btl to a connection with the rod 20, and is soarranged that a pull on saiiflhandle ci uses the catch 2l to bedisengaged from the hook i8.

lilelfore thus pulling` the latch rod 20., the car nu ft be backedtmvard the doors a sailieient distance to clear the font wheel trom theplates and in order to slack up on the nieii'iber 34 which not releasedwould hold the doorsI closed eren tl'iougrh the catch 2l 'was disengagedit'roni the hook 18. Upon this movement o'l" the xar being' elleeted thedoors will then more to their open positions. The car ma): then back outol the garage. The rear 'whee utiret pas over the plate 5, the mein berstl under said plate beingthen in the .same position as when lsaid rearivheel passed over the plate when entering the garag'sge, or as shown inFia'. 4. In other words the plate will not be depre sed.

When the rear Wheel reaches and depresses the plate 4, the members 8will be rotated another quarter turn, or that the flat taces areuppermost, as shown in Fig. 6. Therefore when theiiront Wheel reachesthe plate 5, the latter will be depressed, since the support previouslyprovided by the members S., remoii'ed. Then the :front Wheel passes overand depresses the plate 4, the members 8 are again moved through aquarter turn, raising the plate 5 to its normal level position andassuming,` their original position as shown in 2, readT for another dooropening` movement `upon the return of the car toward the garage.

The depression ot' the plate 5 causes the doors to be closed by means ofthe following structure.

Mounted in the caeii'lg` under the plate 5 are toggle joint arms 39 and4() pivoted to- `getlier. The :forward end of the arm f5() is turnabl.;Tpivoted on the sha'l't 7, While the rear end oit the other arm 40 restson and is .movable alongl the bottom oil the casing. A drum 4l isturnabljy mounted on the shaft 7, about which drum is Wound a flexibleelement 42 which extends to the free end of the arm 40.

Another lever drinn 43 is mounted in fixed connection with the drum 4l.and has Wound thereon a flexible element 44 which extends from thetoward the garage and passes over suitable direction changing sheaves 45to a connection with one oi the doors 1G. This connection is preferablymade at about the same point on the door as the connection oi' theelement 34 therewith.

Theelements 42 and 44 are so Wound on their respective drains that whenthe element 42 is univound `from its drum, the element 44 is Wound onits drum, and vice versa. The toggle arm Istructure is so disposed thatwhen the doors are opened and the element 44 is pulled and univoundtroni the drum 43, causing the rotation otl both drums, the toggle armswill he raised so that their (.'omiectec'lY ends bear against the underside yoi" the plate 5. Then when the plate 5 is depressed by theilrontlwheel ll, the tegole arms are depressed and ilattened out, cans--ing the rear end oi the arm 40 to more rear- Wardli'f. This univinds theelement 42 from its drum 4l and causes the element 44 to wind onto itsdrum 43. This ot' course pulls on the element 44 causing1 the doors tobe pulled to a closed position.

The arms 89 and 40 then remain in their lowered position until the doorsare again opened, which opening` movement imparts a reversal oi'movenient to the element 34, drums 4l and 43, and element 42; causingthe arms 39 and 40 to be again raised to their neutral position.

F rom the foregoing description it ivill be readily seen that We `haveproduced such a device as substantially 'fulfills the objects of theinvention as settorth herein.

lliile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a depart-ure from the spirit ofthe invention, as deiined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what ive claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A door operating mechanism ior garage doors including with a.normally closed door,Y a structure adapted to be actuated by the weighton a wheel ot a vehicle approaching the garage for causing said door toautomatically open, said structure including a depressible elen'ientdisposed in the path et a wheel ahead of the garage, means incorporatedwith said structure whereby such door opening actuation will only takeplace with every lourth passage o a wheel thereover, a structure in thegarage and actuated by an innermost wheel ot the vehicle for thenclosing the door, hand means for then enabling the door to be openedwithout atleet ing the depressible element,V and further means actuatedby a wheel o't the vehicle at'ter leaving the garage ior again closingthe door.

2. A door operating mechanism for garage doors including with a normallyclosed door, a structure adapted to be actuated by the weight on a wheelof a vehicle approaching the garage tor causing said door toautomatically open, means for closing the door after the vehicle hasentered the garage, mea-ns tor again causing the door to open, to enablethe Vehicle to leave the garage, means actuated by a wheel of thevehicle a'lter leaving the gara for again closing the door, said lastnamed means including a depressible element mounted outside the garagein the path oit movement oit such wheel, and means incorporated withsaid structure whereby said element can only be depressed with everyfourth passage oit a wheel thereover.

3. i door operating inechanism tor garage doors including with anormally closed door, a structure adapted to be actuated by the weighton a wheel ot a vehicle approaching the garage ilor causing said door toautomatically open7 said structure includiiig a depressible elementdisposed in the path ot a wheel ahead of the garage7 means incorporatedwith said structure whereby such door opening actuation will only takeplace with every Yfourth passage ot a wheel thereover, a structure inthe garage and actuateil by an innermost wheel of the vehicle tor thenclosing the door, hand means Ytor then enabling the door to be openedwithout atlecting the depressible element, turther means actuated by awheel of the vehicle after leaving the garage for again closingl thedoor, said lastnamed means including a further depressihle elementmounted outside the garage in the path of movement oit a wheel ot thevehicle Iand means likewise incorporated with said structure andcontrolled by the recurring depression ot the l'irst named element 'torenabling said last named element to be depressed only with every `fourthpassage of a wheel thereoier.

1l. A door opening mechanism tor garage doors including with a door.releasable means normally holding the door closed,

means tending` to canse the door to openl` a A ale element iiiounted inthe path ol' movement oit a wheel approachino` the gav rage and arrangedto he depressed hy such wheeh and a inecl'ianisn'l between thc elementand the door holding ineans il'or causiim` the latter to be releasedupon the deprcr-ifsion ot said elen'ient; said n'iechanism including` arotatable member, a pin projecting laterally therefrom. a releasing armtor the door holding mrans projecting` into the path ot movement oii thepin, and means between thc de pressible elcmeizt and said memhcr torrotating the latter only through a quarter turn with each depression otthe element. where by the arm will be actuated only once with everyvfourth dopressitm oit the element.

5. A door (mening mechanism 'tor garage doors including` with a door.relcasahle means normally holding the door closed. means tending tocause the door to open. a delin'essible element mounted in the path otmovement oi' a wheel approaching the gra-- rage and arranged to bedepressed hy auch wheel, means tor rel-easing the holding` means,mechanisin including a morahle meniber mowed by the depression ol theclement 'tor actuatingl the releasing means` and means incorporated withsaid 1nechani:-1m tor causing such releasing means actuation to tahcplace only with every vfourth deprcr--zsion ott said element.

(5. A. door operating mechanism lor `f 'jarage doors including with anormally closed door, a delnessihle element in tlu` path of a wheelahead ot the door` a second dcprcs sible lelement also in the path ol awheel and located between the [irst named clement and 'the door` controlmeans actuated hy the dcpress-ion oli the first clement hy a whccl ot avehicle :nimroacliimgr the garage tor enabling the door to open. meanscontrolled hy the depression ot the second clement hv a wheel oli thevehicle leaving the garage to canse the door to close. and meansassociated with the tirst named control means and initialhY actuated hythe depression ol' thc tirst element 'tor preventingthe second clementfrom being depressed by a wheel ot the rehiclc approaching the garagealtcr tln` tirst. elementhas been actuated to enable the door to open.

7. A door operatingl mechanism includingI with a, normally closed door`a structure adapt-ed to be actuated by the weight on a wheel ot avehicle approaching the garage tor causing said door to automaticallopen, said structure including a depressihle element disposed in thepath ot a wheel ahead of the garage. means incorporated with saidstructure whereby such door opening` actua- `tion will only take placewith erery 'tourth depression ot the elem Ait further means actuated b va wheel ot the vehicle upon learing the garage for again closing thedoor;

lill] lll) Said further means including a depr-Ssble element disposed inthe path ofl' the Wheels outside the garage, and mechanism assio- Catedwith said Structure and further .mesme 'for preventing depression of thesecond element except after every fourth depression olf tlie firstelement.

8. A door opl-n'ating ineellanisni including; with a normally closeddoor, a structure adapted to be actuated by the weight on a Wheel of avehicle approiwliing the garage for causing` Said door to antoinatieallyopen7 Said Structure inc'fludingg a depressible ele-- nient disposed inthe path ol a. wheel ahead of the garage, means incorporated with Saidstructure whereby Snell dooi1 opening aetnation will only take placewith every 'fourth depression of the element, 'further means aetuated bya Wheel ot' the vehicle upon leaving,` the garage for again Closing tliedoor; Said further means iiieluding a depreseble element disaioeed 'intlie patli of the wheels outside the garage` and means controlled bysuccessive depi'eseions o'l the first element ior ].)reventingdepress-ion. ot tile Second element except after everyv ilix'li'tlidepreseion of the tiret elen'ient.

In testimony n'whereof We affix 01u' Signatures.

MARTN JoHNeEN. FREDERICK o. HoLLINe.

